Gravity
by VereniceDrugsong
Summary: "In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst." Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we al hurt, laugh, live, died and love. complete summary inside.
1. First year: Chapter I

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary: **_When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. __Gravity don't mean too much to me, __I'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we al hurt, laugh, live, died and love.

**Rating:** T for language, may become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** inclues DMHG, HPGW, RLNT and more.

**Warning: OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain homosexual couples or insinuations.**

**Note: **well, hello. I have been mushing and thinking this story for over a year, so finally -some weeks ago- I began witting, seriously. I decided to post this because I'll really like some feed back to see how the story is going, even if it's not complete. believe me this story is massive, really. I have 12 chapters written and it's not nearly finished, not even half of it!

also, as I stated in the warning (please read it and don't go all hater on me, don't like don't read.) this story contains Own Characters and drifts in some details from the books and movies but it retains the same plot and idea, it also contains many quotes and dialogues taken from the books. for the use of multiple languages, the translation will be provided after the words or phrase to make the reading easier and fluid. not all of the translations are accurate as I'm only fluent on Spanish and English.

there's also a lot of historical or artistic references that will be marked and explained. I like doing research when I write this sort of massive work so I guess you can expect a lot of them.

happy reading.

* * *

**First year: I. The red train known as the Hogwarts Express. **

_Gravity don't mean too much to me_

_Is this our destiny?_

_**My Chemical Romance - Bulletproof Heart**_

The girl was sitting next to the window, completely alone in the compartment of a train. Her expression was calm and collected. Her violet eyes (1) gazing outside the window into the busy platform. Moving quickly form one face towards the other. Absorbing expressions and movements. Delicate fingers and a small hand brushed a strand of long, shiny black hair from her face. It was safely tucked behind her ear. Blinking eyes and thick eye lashes fluttering over her lightly tan skin. Dusted pink cheeks and freckles over cheekbones and nose. The lock of hair fell on her face again. Pale red lips curling in annoyance. She left it there, lost battles were pointless. Moving back from the window she ran her hands over the front of her a long sleeved gray shirt, smoothing out any wrinkles that could have formed. Black pants and small leather boots cover her legs and feet. A handkerchief of white fabric with grey patters warped loosely around her head and neck (2). Her expression remained smooth and thoughtful. Slowly and carefully the door was opened. Violet eyes peaked curiously towards it. Curly, messy and long brown hair and big chocolate eyes. Pink lips and a small smile that showed the teeth, the two front ones bigger than the others. Healthy pale skin and small body. Delicate fingers. The girl on the door had a bossy and confident posture, she was looking inside the compartment. Dressed with blue jeans and a white and green sweater. The black haired girl looked at her with curious eyes. None of them spoke for some seconds. Finally the brunette opened her mouth and said clearly.

"Hello. I was wondering if I could sit here." The other girl let out a little smile and motion with her head to feel free to do it. The brown eyes girl nodded and hurried inside, closing the door behind her. "Thanks" she murmured. The smile of the other girl stretched a little bit more while she made a casual movement with her head. Some minutes passed in silence. Finally the violet eye girl let out a small chuckle and said softly.

"Hermione." The other girl, apparently named like that, look up and blink her eyes. "Stop been so formal we have known each other for a year, right? Don't be so serious." Hermione pouted and brown eyes locked with violet ones. Annoyed versus amused.

"I'm not formal. I'm polite... and nervous" The other shook her head and chuckle again. The atmosphere in the compartment relaxed. "Don't be like that! Aren't you nervous? I mean, is the first day at school. I can't wait for the classes to start. I'm looking forward to Transfiguration you know, changing one thing to other. Oh and Charms doesn't sound so bad. Have you ever wonder in what house you'll be? Gryffindor or Ravenclaw would be interest houses to be in. Do you think that the teacher will be nice? What about the rest of the first years? I can't wait to be at school!" Hermione's eyes were now shinning with excitement and her smile was bright.

"Yeah, expected from you to feel like that about school." The black hair girl was now grinning as her companion glared and scoffed at her.

"Oh, don't be so carefree, I know you are nervous or at least exited." Her tone was now more confident and a little smug. A tone the curly girl adopted when she had the reason. Something, especially in the academic area, that was really common. Violet eyes narrowed in mock anger.

"No, of course I'm not nervous." Hermione looked at her and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you are not." She retorted with a grin. They glared at each other for a while. Then laughter erupted from them, following with some silence and more staring at each other. The small silence was cut short when the black hair girl huffed and let out.

"I'm not." Another moment of silence and more laughter. Catching her breath, Hermione prepare to retort but the other shook her head and cut in. "Oh, shut up. Don't even think of it. Let's not drag on an impossible argument. I'm not and be on with it." She said, sinking on the seat. Hermione smiled and reclined to.

"If you said so Victoria."

"Of course I do!" While they were laughing and talking the train had moved away from London. Now they were passing the countryside, all green hills and blue skies. Hermione pulled a book and had her nose buried in it. Red cover and thick spine. Crispy new sheets. A soft smile graced her lips and her eyes scanned the pages quickly. Victoria eyes were out of the window again. Violet on blue, collected expression once again.

At half past twelve the hall was filled with noised and laughter. A short and smiling woman came pushing a cart full of candies.

"Do you want something dear girls?" Victoria nodded and nudged her companion that was too engrossed in her book to take notice of her surroundings. Startled Hermione's eyes glared at Victoria over the rim of the book. Victoria's hand pointed with small movements to the door. Hermione glanced at it before shaking her head. The black hair girl rolled her eyes and stood up. The woman smiled to her brightly. Victoria's eyes scanned the sweets, her head tilted to one side in confusion.

"Yes dear?" Victoria looked up and blinked. Her words come out slowly, unsure.

"Oh? Chocolate frogs, thank you." The woman hand them to her and look inside the compartment again.

"Is she sure about not wanting anything?" Victoria considered it for a second. Maybe something to eat will be fine. She slowly nodded and pointed the Pumpkin Pastries. The woman smiled again and hand then to her. The plastic wrappings crunched in their hands. The woman held her hand up, waiting for the coins. Victoria took some out of her pocket and paid the woman, who thanked her and continued pushing the cart down the hallway. Victoria closed the door again.

"Here, Pumpkin Pastries." Hermione looked up from her book. Questioning Victoria and her smile. "If I didn't buy them you'll starve until dinner." Hermione rolled her eyes and her brow furrowed. A teasing smile stretched over Victoria's lips. The other girl glared to her before returning to her book. Victoria rolled her eyes and sat next to her. The pastries stretched over her lap. Violet eyes darting continuously to Hermione. The pale hands of Victoria delicately opened the packed of a Chocolate Frog, picking it up carefully. A bite with a smile and a bit of the chocolate disappeared. The brunette was becoming annoyed under the gaze, her brown eyes kept on re-reading the same sentences all over again and biting her lover lip. Finally she closed her book and extended her hand, giving up. Victoria smiled stretched deviously and gave her the pastries. Hermione rolled her eyes and took them, hiding a smile.

"What? No "thank you Victoria you are the best"?" Hermione narrowed her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly, still hiding the smile. The black hair girl laughed and poked the other, making her squirm a little. Victoria finished the rest of the frog and opened a new one, munching it slowly. Her attention past Hermione, focused on the soft green country. Yawing she took another bite of the chocolate. A mischievous glint shone in her in eyes and she turned towards the other girl.

"Hey Hermione, let's go for a walk around the train." Hermione closed her book (again) and looked at her companion. The brunet let out a sigh and shook her head. Victoria frowned.

"We still have a lot of time here." Her lips wrinkled into a pout.

"Well, go and read a book." The black hair girl snorted.

"I can't. Motions sickness." She stated, staring at the cover of the book. Some golden letters forming an elegant title. Her eyes ignored the letters and focused on the texture, was it leather? Hermione's face was hidden behind it, the brunette sighed.

"Let's go then." The book was shut for third time and final time (while the ride lasted). The two girls walked out of the compartment. Looking up and down the hall they decided to make their way down. The front was full of perfects that would demand them to keep on their compartment. No thanks. A crowd of people was occupying a great space near them, almost at the end of the wagon. Curious, Hermione made her way towards them; Victoria frowned and kept close to her. The group was formed with third and second years, all of them looking at three boys. Two redheads and a boy with dreadlocks, the last one had a box in his hands. The girls pushed their way into the crowd. Hermione looked at the box.

"Excuse me, what's on the box?" the owner of the box looked up at them and grinned.

"Something." Victoria looked at him, not amused. One of the red heads cut in.

"Something scary…" the other red-head continued.

"Are you little girls…"

"…sure…"

"…that you…"

"…can…"

"…handle…"

"…it?" Both girls had been darting their eyes from one boy to the other. Victoria had a small scowl in her face. She hated to be called little (which she was). The black hair girl rolled her eyes and Hermione eyes narrowed.

"Of course we do." The third boy looked at them and slowly, adding a dramatic effect, opened the box. Some girls and boys in the back of the crowd let out yelps and gasps as a long, hairy leg poked from the inside. Victoria and, after a millisecond of hesitation, Hermione inched closely to the box. Peeking inside. "Is that a spider?" Asked Victoria with made a sound of disgust. All around of them, the crowd relaxed.

"It's actually a tarantula." Hermione pointed, looking inside the box again. "Look, for starters it's hairy."

"You girls are no fun." Said the boy with dreadlocks. Hermione smile apologizing. Victoria smirked. Then he turned towards the brunette. "And yes it's a tarantula." The girl smiled proudly. Victoria poked her in amusement. Hermione poked her back and smiled. Victoria lips curved into a small smile. The black-haired girl pulled Hermione and they continuing their way down the train.

"Sorry for ruining the fun." Called Hermione and Victoria nodded at the boys. The boys laughed and the two girls swore that they pulled out the tarantula, making the crowd gasp again.

The two of them continuing their way down the train. Hermione telling Victoria a story she had read on the weekend. Something about a castle in the air and a princes with golden hair. When a boy came out of a compartment. He had round faced and tearful eyes. He was looking down at the floor and didn't notice the girls until he was in front of them.

"Oh... sorry," he said. "but have you seen a toad at all?" Victoria gave him a blank look and answered quickly.

"No, we are sorry."

"I've lost him! He keeps getting away! Why me?" Hermione and Victoria exchanged a glance. The brunet looked behind the boy into the open compartment door. The boy went away. Hermione pointed to Victoria the inside of the compartment. Two boys were inside. One of the, a red head and tall boy, had a wand raised. The two girls, leaded by Hermione, entered the compartment.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." Hermione said, excited.

The girls sat down. The red head looked taken aback.

"Er- all right." He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. The rat in his lap stayed gray and fast asleep. Victoria snorted. Clearly amused by his failure.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the brown head girl. Her voice in bossy mode. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me." Victoria glanced at the boys, amusement clearly in her eyes and said plainly:

"You tried to turn the rat yellow? Let me." Drawing out her wand, she pointed it to the rat and said softly. _"Pingere Virêscô (3)"_ The rat became a vivid emerald green. Hermione laughed. The boys looked stunned for some seconds. The red head ears turned a vibrant shade of red to match his hair. The other boy, skinny and with black haired had his green eyes wide open in amazement.

"Wow." he then asked "Excuse me but… who are you?"

"I am Hermione Granger and you are…?"

"Ron Weasley" The red head muttered.

"Harry Potter." Hermione looked at him, curious.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course, I have a lot of books, and you're in _'Modern Magical History'_ and _'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' _and_ 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century'."_

"Am I?" said Harry, looking dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know? I'd have found out everything I could if it was me." said Hermione annoyed. Victoria sneer, to both Hermione and the boys. The boys looked at her sharply. "Anyway you two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." Both girls stood up and headed to the door. Harry called behind them.

"Hey, you didn't tell us your name." Victoria turned around and smirked.

"Victoria." She answered slowly and then they were out, closing the door behind them. When they were some steps away, the girls smiled.

"Is he really in _'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts'_?" Hermione nodded.

"Emerald green?" Hermione then asked Victoria in return, who just shrugged.

"I can still go back and change it to pink." Hermione giggle and shook her head.

"I don't think they would want that" Both girls smiled and made their way back to the compartment.

Hermione grabbed her book again and eyed it, contemplating to keep on reading or not. Victoria closed the curtains of the compartment and pulled her uniform out, black tunic, dark gray school girl skirt, white button up blouse, a small black tie, gray vest and black cloak. She looked at the items curious.

"It is so… English" Victoria murmured. Hermione giggle form behind her book.

"Yes. We are in England." Victoria made a 'tch' sound. The other girl pulled out her clothes and began changing. Victoria followed her example. Victoria looked down at her clothes. The skirt ending abode her knees, her legs covered with black leggings, the small black boots in her feet and up her ankles. The shirt long sleeved and the tie loosely tied around the neck. She kept the handkerchief around her head.

"I still think this is to English." Hermione giggled once again, shaking her head. The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. Victoria went to open the curtains and hear a voice talking and cursing in Italian. Curious, she opened the door. Two boys were in the hallway, already dressed in their uniforms. One of them was tall and with tan skin, black messy hair and golden eyes, the other had dark brown hair, his skin was paler and had green eyes. Victoria frowned, both of them looked mad.

"_Ciao, stai bene?_" (Hello, are you ok?) The tall boy looked up at her. The other rolled his eyes.

"_Sì. Siamo stati buttati fuori._" (Yes. We were kicked out.) Victoria frowned. The green eyed boy cut in.

"Sorry, would you two mind speaking in English?" He said, clearly annoyed. Hermione had come to the door and poked Victoria.

"He is right you know." Victoria smirked at her.

"Sorry. You said that someone kick you out. Of the compartment?" The green eyed boy nodded.

"Some fifth year Gryffindor. He said that he needed it. Had a clingy girl next to him." He said clearly disgusted. Both girls made a face. Yes, disgusting situation. Hermione glance at Victoria. The black hair girl looked at the boys.

"Want to come? It's only the two of us." The boys shrugged and came in. The black hair boy sat next to the window in front of the girls. The other boy sat next to him. Victoria claimed the other seat next to the window and Hermione sat next to her, picking up the book and placing it in her lap.

"Thanks. We are not even in Hogwarts and I hate the Gryffindors already." The rest of the compartment chuckle. "I'm Theodore Nott Junior. Call me Theo."

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"I am Victoria."

"Blaise Zabini."

It was getting dark. They could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. A voice echoed through the train: 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.' The train slowed down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. They shivered in the cold night air. Victoria was trembling so bad that her teeth were making noise. A second cloak was thrown over her shoulders. She looked up at Blaise, thanking him softly. Inward she pouted, the weather was so cold, colder that what she was used to. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and a deep and loud voice said: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" A man with big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me, any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them. There must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. The boy who kept loosing his toad, sniffed once or twice. "Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. "No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Victoria, Hermione, Blaise and Theo occupied one. "Everyone in?" shouted the man, who had a boat to himself. "Right then… FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. "Heads down!" yelled the big man as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles."Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said the man while checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried the round faced boy blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after the big lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" The man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

* * *

**1. Violet eyes: **tough uncommon, not impossible. It can be form of incomplete albinism (genetically disorder that makes the body produce very small amount of pigment know as melanin) or a specific amount of pigment in the iris, the more melanin you have the darker your eyes will look. Blue eyes exist as well as black, violet is a shade between them. Elizabeth Taylor had violet eyes. She also used black eyeliner, brown eye-shadow and purple or black clothes to make the color of her eyes even more intense.

**2.**_** A handkerchief of white fabric with grey patters warped loosely around her head and neck: **_in many Mediterranean and Arabic cultures women used pieces of fabric to cover their head and necks for many different reasons (from climatic conditions, to social class, to moralistic reasons) until very recent times.

Now on days, it's almost used by Arabic women. Tough it's related to Muslims, the fabrics covering head and neck, existed before Mahomet and Muslims. Especially in deserted areas to protect the skin and eyes from the sun, wind and sand. I won't used the word "veil" to avoid controversy but yes, the handkerchief used by Victoria is similar to the modern hijab, a long rectangular piece of fabric that goes the head and neck and then over the shoulders, in a draping.

**3.**_** Pingere Virêscô: **_Pingere in Latin means "pain; to color" while Virêscô is the word for emerald green. It could be roughtly translated (or understood) to "color it emerald green".


	2. First year: Chapter II

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary:** _When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we all hurt, laugh, live, died and love.

**Rating:** T for language, may become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** inclues DMHG, HPGW, RLNT and more.

******Warning: OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain homosexual couples or insinuations.**

**Note: **I don't normally update so early, but this story has 51 views which makes me really happy... and 0 reviews. come on! I'll really like so feedback.

when I said that this story was going to defer from the originall, well... we start here.

* * *

**First year: II. What the hat thinks**

_"In the shape of things to come._

_(…)_

_every me and every you"_

**_Placebo – Every You Every Me_**

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and the first impression was that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the tall man.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was really magnificent. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, the rest of the school must already be here, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on the toad boy cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron Weasley's smudged nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

Victoria took off the second cloak and gave it back to Blaise. He nodded. Hermione began whispering

very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Victoria blocked her voice. Theo next to her was frowning.

"What's wrong?" She asked him.

"Do you know how they sort into the houses?" Asked him in return. Blaise and Hermione looked at him. Victoria shook her head.

"My father didn't go to Hogwarts." Blaise eyed her curiously and Theo frowned deeper "Do you know?"

"No. My parents didn't tell me. They said it was a secret, and that's what worries me." Hermione went pale. Victoria gulped. Then something happened that made Theo jump about a foot in the air, Blaise swore in Italian again and Victoria went pale, several people in front them (and Hermione) screamed.

"What the hell?" Theo said. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance…"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost… I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." They form into a line, Theo then Hermione, Victoria and lastly Blaise, the four of them almost at the end of the line. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Victoria eyes widen and in front of her Hermione gasped. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Victoria felt a nudged next to her, Blaise pointing carefully (and almost unnoticeable) to the ceiling. She looked up. The starry night sky spread over her above the flickering of the candles. Her eyes shone and a soft smile spread on her lips.

Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History'."

"You just have to go and ruin the wonder?" Victoria retorted. Hermione smile apologetic.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Everybody in the room was looking at it so the first years copied them. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffis are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Theo let out a smirk.

"We just try the hat." Hermione said, smiling brightly next to him.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A momentary pause.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the left cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. The ghost of the Fat Friar waved merrily at her.

"Acebedo de Córdoba (1), Victoria" Whispers rose from some of the students. A Spanish surname and name? She smirked at them and walked to the stool. The hat fell over her eyes, obscuring everything.

"Spanish eh?" a small voice said in her ear. Inside the hat she raised her eyebrows. Yes, she was Spanish. "We don't get many foreign students here. Let's see… where shall I put you? A very promising mind and grate persistence. Yes, yes, indeed so clever. Oh and brave, ready to take the world. So Ravenclaw or perhaps…"

"SLYTHERINE!" The hat yelled to the hall. Victoria took off the hat. The table in the right cheered up. She walked there and sat near the end. In front of her was a ghost with silver blood in his wounds. She looked at him and bowed her head in respect (and a little of fear).

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the right clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. "Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Victoria could see the red-head twin brothers catcalling. Hermione was looking at the hat, almost green. Theo kept his eyes on the ground and Blasie darted his eyes around the room.

"Crab, Vincent"

"SLYTHERINE"

"Davis, Tracey"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," a sandy-haired boy, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!" Victoria gaze became fixed on the girl, who almost run to the stool and put the hat just as quickly. Hermione locked her eyes with her before the hat cover her eyes.

"Well, well…" the hat said to Hermione. She breathed in sharply. "A bright mind, very bright one actually. There's also loyalty. Yes, yes… the need to prove yourself and no fear to do so. You want to succeed. Well then let it be something that helps you. Let you be in…" Hermione stopped breathing.

"RAVENCLAW!" She let out her breath and took the hat. The Ravenclaw table was cheering at her. She walked there, sitting almost at the end of table, right behind Victoria. When the rest of her housemates finished welcoming her to the house she turned and found Victoria facing her.

"We are one table away." The Spanish girl stated.

"Yeah." The new Ravenclaw said weary.

"Well… I guess sleepovers can't be done. Come with me on breaks?" Hermione smiled brightly and nodded. "Greengrass, Daphne" and "Goyle, Gregory" soon joined the Slytherins. When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When the hat finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag" who went to Ravenclaw.

"Malfoy, Draco." A pale boy swaggered forward when his name was called. The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" before saying to him, "A Malfoy eh? Well boy, take care. Grate things come with grate prices." He walked to the table, sitting in front of Victoria, next to the ghost. Vincet and Gregory moved to his side and sat.

"Hi" Draco said in a bored tone of voice to Victoria. The girl looked at him and blinked.

"Hi." She said in return.

"Nott, Theodore" Victoria and Draco both looked at the sorting. Theo carefully placed the hat in his head.

"Nott is it?" Theo nodded. "Ah… interesting. What do you believe in? A very clever one here, also sharp and loyal. But I know where you belong."

"SLYTHERINE" Theo put down the hat and sat on the table, next to Draco. He looked at her and then to Draco.

"Draco, nice to see you again." Draco's face softened for a second.

"Nice to see you too Theo." Victoria watched them and then turned her attention to the ceremony. "Parkinson, Pansy" went to Slytherine then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" to Ravenclaw and "Patil" to Gryffindor then "Perks, Sally-Anne" to Hufflepuff and then, "Potter, Harry!"

As Harry Potter stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Draco scowled. Theo glanced at him. The blond boy rolled his eyes.

"Potter is pretty lame." Theo smirked and next to him Victoria chuckle. "People are even standing to look at him." The hall fell into a silence, that was not really silence because people kept whispering, for half a minute.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled.

"Why I'm not surprise? Lame house for lame people." The blond boy said and then crossed his arms, scolding. Victoria chuckle at this. The people in the Gryffindor table were cheering really loud. They could hear even yells of "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Victoria rolled her eyes, somehow amused.

"True." Said Theo. Few people were left. "Thomas, Dean" and "Turpin, Lisa" went to Gryffindor, as well as "Weasley, Ron". Victoria sneered at this and said to Draco.

"You are right, lame house for lame people. Fool of him trying to turn a rat yellow with a fake spell." Theo, Draco, Vincent and Gregory laughed, as well as a couple of older boy near them.

"Zabini, Blaise" was of course the last student to be sorted. He made his way to the stool with clam steps. He took the hand with one hand and softly placed it in his head.

"Another foreign one. This year has been full of surprises." Said the hat to him. Blaise kept still. "Sharp-sighted and quick with the mind. Not a bad mind… Where would you succeed boy? Ah… Proud. Very proud. Let you be…"

"SLYTHERINE!" Blaise took the hat and glance at it blankly. He walked to the table and sat next to Victoria.

"_Ciao, piacere di voi di unirsi a noi."_ (Hello, nice of you to join us.) Said Victoria to him.

_"Non una scelta, ma sono contento."_ (Not a choice, but I'm glad.) He answered, his voice amused. Draco glanced at them.

_"So cosa vuoi dire."_ (I know what you mean) She answered amused as well and Blaise smirked. Draco kept glancing at them with his eyebrow raised. The ghost was also looking at them, his expression black so they couldn't know what he was thinking. Theo rolled his eyes and glanced at Draco. In the front Professor McGonagall had rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

"The two of them are like that since the train. Italian." Theo groaned to Draco. Further conversation was stopped when the headmaster stood up. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" The first years of Slytherin looked at each other wide-eyed and clearly confused. The food appeared in the golden plates. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

_"Ugh. Eso fue definitivamente tonto."_(Ugh. That was definitely silly). Mumbled Victoria looking at the head master with an incredulous look in her face.

_"Sì, è molto."_ (Yes, and a lot). Answered Blaise. Theo looked at them and shook his head, distressed.

"Not again! We can't understand you, you know?" Victoria chuckled. Draco sneer at them while helping himself with roast beef.

"How many languages do you know?" asked Theo. Victoria helped herself with a glass of pumking juice, she drank a little and then crooked her head.

"Ah… Like three and a half? Four actually." She said, smiling. "Spanish, Italian, English and French" The girl looked at the food in the golden plates. Blaise also had the same face of confusion and annoyance. Theo turned to him.

"And you Blaise?" He looked up.

"Italian, English, French, Spanish, and some German." He said softly. Draco and Theo raised an eyebrow and Victoria looked at the English boys.

"You speak something aside English?" Vincent and Gregory shook their heads, more interested in the food. Draco nodded.

"French." And Theo answered.

"Yes, I speak Welsh," Theo shrugged at this "and French." The four of them smirked.

_"Pratique."_ (Practical) Said Victoria, while poking the stakes in front of her. Draco looked at this, questioning. Theo stopped his fork in mid air and glance at them. Blaise and Victoria still had their plates empty. Victoria sighed. "The food is just…" She looked at Blaise for help.

"To English." Said Blaise annoyed. The other boys laughed, even the ghost next to Draco seemed amused, but again, his blank and haunted expression made it difficult to tell. Blaise looked at them, blankly and Victoria glared.

"It is. I'll really like a _Gazpacho (2)_ or way better, a warm bowl of _Olla de trigo_ (3)." She said. She poked the steak again.

"Or anything with olive oil." Said Blaise grabbing his cup, filled with plain water, and taking a sip. Draco and Theo looked at them between confusion, amusement and awkwardness.

"Yes, bread with olive oil (4). But that is breakfast, not dinner." She pointed out. Blaise chuckled. Then Draco let out a shriek, the ghost next to him had lend towards Blaise and Victoria, trespassing him on the way.

"You should eat something." He said, his voice deep and haunted. A chill went down their backs. Victoria went pale.

"Ah… Sure…" Blaise said. Victoria could only nod.

"I am the Bloody Baron, resident ghost of the Slytherin Dungeons." He said. The first years were really pale and not so happy to be near the ghost. He was unnerving.

"A pleasure… eh… sir." Theo said slowly. The ghost retreated, right through Draco again, who looked less than pleased. Blaise serve himself a bit of roasted chicken and boiled potatoes. Victoria tentatively picked some fries, carrots and steak.

"I still miss the olive oil." She stated. Blaise next to her let out a small smile. Theo chuckled. Draco was still skulking from the ghost issue. Vincent and Gregory too busy eating to take part of the conversation.

Soon, even Blaise and Victoria had left the plates empty. The deserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O and rice pudding. The eyes of the boys brightened up. Vincent and Gregory were the happiest and quickest ones to help themselves with sweets. Victoria picked a strawberry and munched it happily.

"Found something you do like?" Asked Theo smirking. She rolled her eyes.

"Of course, fruit is fruit." She said, grabbing another strawberry.

_"Peccato che 'ice-cream' non è 'gelato (5).'"_ (A shame that 'ice-cream' is not 'italian ice-cream') Blaise said. "I'll like some gelato, not this..." added then.

"Well, it's not that bad." Said Vincent. The Italian boy glared at Vincent, making him gulped and resume eating not saying another word.

"Then don't eat the ice-cream. Ask Victoria to share the strawberries." Draco said, mocking them lightly.

"Never. Stay away from my strawberries." She said glaring at Draco, fighting the urge to stick out her tongue to him. The ghost near them almost looked amused again. Or as amused as a bloody and grim face could look. Soon they were chuckling and talking about pointless things, like the Quidditch World Cup eliminations ("I don't think England will go too far in the eliminations."), the last World Cup (Italy 330 versus Germany 80 "_Vittoria per L'Italia"_ (Victory for Italy)), their own flying adventures ("Once I had to avoid a muggle something when I was flying.") and the local clubs ("No, I do not support the Hollyhead Harpies just because I'm a girl."). At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.

_"Les premières années, arrêtez de parler. Le directeur vais maintenant parler à vous tous."_ (First years, stop talking. The headmaster will now speak to you all.) The ghost interrupted their chat.

"Ahern, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Gryffindor table. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." The Slytherins looked at each other, confused. Victoria glance at the ghost and softly asked.

_"Excusez-moi Baron, est-il sérieux?"_ (Excuse me Baron, is he serious?) The ghost looked at her and nodded. _"Est-il courant dans cette école ... d'avoir ... avertissements mort?"_ (Is it common in this school... to have... death warnings?) She said clearly not amused.

_"Oui et non."_ (Yes and no.) Was the only thing he answered.

"Oh! How nice." Draco said with a really sarcastic voice. Theo shook his head and Blaise stared at the ghost blankly.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. The other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed and the students of the Slytherine were scowling. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

"I'm not singing." The four of them agreed.

And the rest of school bellowed:

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the redhead twins of Gryffindor were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Victoria giggled at that. That song could be a funeral march, it was definitely… weird and awful. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!" Draco snorted. "And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Slytherin first years followed a fifth year perfect. She had short black spiky hair and was Pansy's older sister, Pippa Parkinson. They exited the Great Hall and headed for the dungeons. Victoria's teeth began chattering again. Blaise took off his coat again and pass it to Theo, who being closer to the girl put the coat on her shoulders. She nodded thanking the two boys. Draco, again flanked by Vincent and Gregory, was walking in front, owning the place. After taking many turns in what seemed a labyrinth they reached a stretch of bare, damp stonewall.

"This is our common room." Pipa said, facing the first years. "You'll need a password to enter, the password changes every month. Don't forget the password or get lost in the dungeons, we perfects don't want much trouble." She faced the wall and said clearly. "Gale" the wall slide opened. They step inside carefully to the Slytherin common room. It was a long, low underground room with stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, many armchairs, sofas and pillows were scatter around the first room making it comfortable. A huge painting of a grave man was on the right wall, along with other paintings and photographs of older Slytherin students. There was a set of stair on the left that leaded to a second living room filled with desks and bookshelves. It was like a large study. Later they would find a huge window in giving a bluish kind of light and a spectacular view. There were also two doors with corridors behind. Pipa pointed to the doors. "The first door leads to the boy's dormitories and the other is for the girl's." She then disappeared to the girl's dormitories. Victoria bid the boys goodnight and went to dormitories. It was a long corridor illuminated with the same greenish laps as the common room. She looked at the doors. Silver plates indicate of whom the rooms where, third years, fifth years, perfect and finally, near the end of the hallway the room of the first years. She opened the door and step inside. The room was rectangular and long. Three four-poster beds with black curtains were placed in row, a nightstand beside each of them. Their trunks were placed in the feet of each bed and drawers were placed under the bed. Victoria made her way to her bed, the one farthest from the door. The window opened in front of her bed. It had an irregular shape following the space of the rocks. It gave a bluish almost white glow, illuminating the room softly and making the view available. The lake was enchanting. Soft seaweeds danced slowly with the current. Slowly she discarded her clothes, realizing she had the extra cloak. She fell asleep really quickly, not been able to stay awake to talk to her new roommates.

The boys had a similar room, five beds and a big underwater window. The door was in the middle of the wall, three beds on one side and two on the other. Blaise and Theo things were on the two separated bed, Vincent, Gregory and Draco in the other three. Draco was sitting in his bed, writing a letter, probably to his parents. Vincent was telling Gregory something about his summer.

"Victoria still has my cloak." Blaise said to Theo while changing.

"True. Ask for it tomorrow." The Italian boy nodded and laid in the bad, watching the curtains.

"Still to English for you?" Asked Theo who was facing him.

"Yes." He said, smirking. Theo chuckled.

"Get use to it, we'll be here for seven years." Blaise rolled his eyes.

"Of course. Goodnight Theo."

"Night."

They all fell asleep soon after that, having pleasant and comfortable dreams.

* * *

**1. Acebedo de Córdoba: **Acebedo is a Spanish surname mostly found in Barcelona or Galicia (north of Spain), making it uncommon in the south.

Córdoba is a city in _Andalucía_, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. An Iberian and Roman city in ancient times, during the postclassical period (Middle Ages), it became the capital of an Islamic caliphate, Al-Andalus.

In the VIII century the Iberian Peninsula went through a complex political and military process that derived in the formation of the al-Ándalus, an Arabic/Muslim occupation and reign of what today is Spain, Portugal and part of France. Almost immediately the catholic kingdoms of the north began the _Reconquista _a periodical war that lasted almost 781 years. The conquered took fifteen years, the _Reconquista _ended in 1492 when 'el reino nazarí de Granada' in Andalucía fell.

To the day, grate Arabic influence can still be found in Andalucía, from science, language, art, architecture and even food.

Victoria's family has deep root of Arabic descent. Their family tree said that they come from a noble wizard family from the city of Constantinople. They also find ancestress of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya and India.

**_2. Gazpacho: _**a cold soup made with olive oil, vinegar, breath and raw vegetables, commonly tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, garlic and onions. Other variations like _ajoblanco _includes other ingredients such as crushed almonds or lima beans flour.

It can be also serve hot, but this variation is mostly found in the colder places like Galicia.

**_3. Olla de trigo: _**a stew made from wheat, chickpeas, a variety of meats (_morcilla de cebolla_ -sausage made from blood with onion added- and salted pork) and some vegetables (turnip, pumpkin, potatoes and fried onions). This plate is to be cook over low fire for a long time. Mostly eaten in winter. It's also called _Olla de San Antonio_ because it is cooked on the day of the saint (January 17th).

**4. Bread with olive oil: **in Andalucía (and Spain) is commonly know as _desayuno andaluz_ and it consist with a piece of bread, commonly a _mollete_ (white bread, in a roundish shape, slightly toasted and cover on the outside with flour) with olive oil that can be smeared with garlic or cover with tomatoes or ham. There's also sweet variations using olive oil cover with sugar or orange juice

While it has it origins in the labours that had little money and used it to the fullest, it's now on days a common light breakfast in all Spain and can be ordered in cafes. In Italy, on the other way, it's still believed to be pauper type of food. Latin America, on the other side of the sea, considers bread with olive oil a delicatessen available only to the affluent class and the restaurants that serve it as an entrance are the 'decent' ones.

**5. Gelato: **it's the word in Italian form ice-cream. Made with milk, sugar and flavourings such as fruit or nuts purees. While this seam similar to ice-cream, gelato has specific differences. While ice cream legally has a minimum of 10 percent fat (in the USA), gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, so it contains more like five to seven percent fat. Gelato also is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, so it's denser because not as much air is whipped into the mixture. (Gelato contains about 25 to 30 percent air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50 percent air) Finally, while ice cream is typically served frozen, gelato is typically stored and served at a slightly warmer temperature, so it's not quite completely frozen.

* * *

so, Hermione in Ravenclaw. it's a fact that in the Rowling-verse she was almost send to Ravenclaw. so when I first began to think all the aspects of this fic, this was the starting point. What would had happen if she went to Ravenclaw instead? and it when from there, "Ravenclaw and Slytherins tolerate each other", "a mutual friend that brings them together" etc.

also, I noticed that Slytherin and Gryffindor mirror each other in the number of students. five boys (Theo, Blasie, Vincent, Goyle, Draco / Neville, Dean, Seamus, Ron, Harry) and three girls (Hermione -Lisa here-, Parvati and Lavander / Pansy, Daphne and Millicent Bulstrode -Victoria here-). the notes that Rowling showed during _**Harry Potter and Me**_ show more students, two more Gryffindor girls, and Tracy Davis and another unknown girl of Slytherin. I know this is cannon, but I think that I'll stick to five males and three females.

the french. the Malfoy's are from French heritage so I found it appropriated. Victoria also knows french because if not attending Hogwarts she would have gone to Beauxbatons in France. Blaise, well he could have an French step-dad. Theo also studied French as part of etiquette and pure-blood studies, which include things as ballroom dancing and table manners. For the Bloody Baron, during X and XI century England and France had communication already, for example sending military aid to fence against Vikings (England) and Germans (France) and as far as I have investigated noble houses on England and France learned the language of the other.

that's all. hope you enjoyed.


	3. First year: Chapter III

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary: **_When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I 'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we all hurt, laugh, live, died and love.

**Rating:** T for language, may become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** inclues DMHG, HPGW, RLNT and more.

******Warning: OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain homosexual couples or insinuations.**

**Note: **I was planning to upload this chapter last Sunday, or if time was short on Monday but I got caught up with a lot of stuff. so, I give you chapter three. thanks to everyone that has read this story and thank you for the ones that followed it.

merry chistmas, happy holidays, a good hanukkah, a blessed yule or a nice day... whatever you celebrate or do.

* * *

**First year: Chapter III. Double Herbology with Ravenclaw, double Potions with Gryffindor **

_"No limits just epiphanies"_

**_American Authors – Best Day Of My Life_**

The classes began next day. Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin, handing out the schedules on the table that morning, quick and free of nonsense.

Their first class had been a double class of History of Magic. Five minutes listening to the ghost of Professor Binns and everyone on the class was almost asleep. Except for Victoria, who after ten minutes of the origins of magic in Antique Egypt, had started to ask question. Are the staffs carried by the god in the _frescos (1)_ considered predecessor of the short wands we use now? Were the processes to make them similar in any way? Is really Antique Egypt the only origin of magic? What about _Sumeria_?(Sumer) (2) The professor had looked up from his notes amazed and confused. Never had someone made a question, much less a debate one. He had asked for her name and answered the questions. The rest of the lecture he kept glancing at her with curious ghostly eyes. Victoria took notes of everything he said carefully and even added some drawings to them.

They had Herbology with the Ravenclaws under the teachings Professor Sprout, a short energetic witch with a lot of earth in her clothes and hands, had come and pass without incident, nothing particular aside from plants and soil, too much soil for Pansy and Daphne actually. The professor hadn't been pleased with them complaining. Victoria and Hermione were together, the brunette whispering excited about the plants she saw around her. Blaise and Theo were next to them, including themselves in the conversation. Draco, Vincet and Gregory were near them, busy with their own conversations. Nobody questioned a Ravenclaw between the Slytherings, even if some people looked at them curiously and even disapprovingly. Victoria narrowed her eyes and continued listening to Hermione talk. The brunette was looking bright and happy next to her, but she eyed the rest of her house with distrust.

Tuesday they had Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. She began her class with a speech of what to expect from her subject and person. Strict and clever. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." And then she proceeded to turn furniture into animals. Even if they were eager to star, after taking complicate notes they began with something simple. Turning a match into a needle. No one made much progress except Blaise who manage to make it silver. Professor McGonagall nodded at him in acknowledgment and awarded their house with one point. For the head of the house of Gryffindor she was pretty fair with the other houses.

Thursday on the morning they had double Charms with professor Flitwick. The professor was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call. Rumour was that when in class with the Gryffindors he had fallen down when calling Potter's name. Later that day they had Defence Against the Dark Arts that turned out as a joke. The class smelled strongly to garlic and Professor Quirrell was afraid of everything, even his own shadow.

Friday morning came too fast for the first years Slytherins. Tuesday at midnight they had had Astronomy, gazing at the sky full of stars, moons and planets, and the hours of sleep weren't enough.

Victoria sat between Blaise and Theo in breakfast; the three of them more sleep than awake. Theo yawed quietly and the smirked, eyeing something over the sea of heads.

"Have you noticed that today we have Potions?" He said. Blaise looked at him over his cup.

"So?" asked Victoria before returning to her plate of fruit.

"So, we have double Potions with the Gryffindors." He said before biting his toast. "And professor Snape likes to make Gryffindors miserable early on the morning." Victoria laughed quietly.

"And I'll assume that he likes to favour Slytherins early on the morning." Blaise added, looking over to the lions' table with a smirk in his lips. Theo raised his cup for an answer. Victoria giggled again.

"It sounds like fun." She said with a small glint of amusement and mischief in her eyes.

The owls came in that moment, startling Pansy and Daphne some places up the table. Victoria sneered at them and munched on an apple slice. A golden-brown barn owl landed in front of Blaise. A grey owl had delivered a letter for Theo, who was busy reading it. A huge black owl landed in front of Victoria. She sighed and took the letter from his leg, pocketing without reading it. She petted the owl in the head. The rest of the owls near were scared away by the new one and flew back quickly. Victoria munched another piece of apple and fed the huge owl, still on the table, a piece of bacon from Blaise's plate. Theo folded his letter and leaned on his hand.

"That owl glared at the others, making them fly away?" He asked to Victoria, who nodded. "and you pet him, her for it?"

"_Si_. (Yes) And fed him with Blaise's bacon. I'm proud of him." She said. Theo laughed, shaking his head amused. The owl hooted and scoped closer to her, snuggling in her hair. She laughed and petted him again. Blaise smiled at her.

"Cute _piccola _(little one), but please don't steal my food. I was planning to eat that bacon." Victoria, and the owl, glared at him. Theo laughed again.

"Don't call me that!" She said narrowing her eyes. The owl hooted and puffed his feathers menacingly. Theo laughed again.

That owl is so amazing!" Victoria smiled at the English boy. The Italian laughed with them. Finally the laugher stopped. The owl was still in the table, drinking from Victoria's water.

"And _piccola _(little one)" Blaise ignored the glares, human and bird alike. "what's the name of the owl?" She swallowed a strawberry before answering, petting the feathers of her owl again.

"First, he's a 'bu' a Spanish gigantic owl (3), obviously magic." The girl didn't elaborate in what kind of magic. "And his name is _Alatriste. (4)_" Theo looked at the far away look that the violet eyes of Victoria had acquired and Blaise frown. The English boy narrowed his eyes. He quickly changed the subject.

"Any way, breakfast is almost over and we don't want to be late to Potions and fun, don't we?" The others laughed and looked over to the lion's table. Blaise could make the heads of Potter and Weasley, red and black, huddle together reading something, the paper probably. Victoria petted _'Alatriste'_ again, gave him another piece of bacon and the owl hooted softly before flying away. The three of them stood up and walked down towards the dungeons.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Victoria looked apprehensible at something that looked like a baby crocodile with two heads floating in a jar. Theo poked her. The girl glared at him before sitting on a desk, dropping her bag next to her. Theo sat next to her and Blaise on the other side.

Professor Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and like Flitwick, he paused at Potter's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new… celebrity."

Draco, Vincent and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Theo and Blaise smirked between them and Victoria sat there with a mocking smile in her lips. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black, but they had no ounce of warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. The lions shifted uncomfortable under his stare. So much for Gryffindor bravery.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word, Professor Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep thought human veins, bewitching the min, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stop death, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed after his speech. Victoria smiled mockingly again. The Gryffindors looked awkwardly at each other, except a girl with smooth dark brown hair and amber eyes. She was on the edge of her seat with an angry expression on her face, determined to prove she (and possible some of her house-mates) were not dunderheads.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?' Potter glanced at the redhead next to him, who looked as stumped as he was; The girl's hand had raised into the air slowly, hesitating a bit.

"I don't know, sir," said Potter. Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut… fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored the other Gryffindor's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" The Gryffindor girl lowered her hand her brow furrowed in concentration, but Potter didn't look as he had the faintest idea what a bezoar was. Draco, Vincent and Goyle were shaking with laughter. Blaise was stretched back in his seat, and Theo and Victoria were leaning in their desk looking over the lion's struggles.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Potter face clearly said that he had opened the books but how did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi? Professor Snape was still ignoring the hand in the air. "What's the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, the girl shooted her hand in the air, desperate to be seen and to answer.

"I don't know." Said Potter quietly. "I think Lisa does, though, why don't you try her?" A few people laughed. Victoria smiled again, darting her violet eyes to the professor. He was not pleased at all.

"Lower your hand." He snapped to the Turpin girl. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is know as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken form the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which is also know by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" Over the sound of rummaged for quills and parchment the Slytherins hear Professor Snape said, "And a point will be taken form Gryffindor House for your check, Potter".

After that, things got more amusing for the Slytherins and worse form the Gryffindors. Professor Snape had all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except some Slytherins, like Victoria, Theo and Blaise (who asked to work in trio, saying that there were an uneven* number and mumbling that they didn't want to work with a Gryffindor). He praised Draco, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Longbottom had somehow managed to melt Finnegans's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, turning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Longbottom whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at his partner. Then he rounded on Potter and Weasley, who had been working next to Neville.

"You, Potter… why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Draco sneered and watched with amusement as Potter opened his mouth to argue closing it almost immediately. Victoria and the boys noted that Weasley had kicked Potter to stay quiet. The boy did know what was convenient. The group continued snickering at the wounded pride of the lions the rest of the lesson.

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, heading for lunch the group was basking in good mood. The first week had been memorable, and they were waiting forward for the rest of their time here.

* * *

**1. Fresco: **is a mural technique where the painting itself becomes part of the wall. The process consist of painting over a freshly added lime plaster (made with sand, water and cal - Ca(OH)2).

In Antique Egypt the _fresco _is found in the walls of tombs. The paintings were made with _a secco_ work. This means that first the general and rough painting was made on the wet plaster, allowed to dry (often accelerating the process by rubbing it with sand) and then painted over the day plaster as if on a canvas or paper. Painting in wet plaster allows the murals to last longer, contrary to dry techniques.

**2. Sumeria: **Ancient civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age. Recognized for being the first (therefor oldest) civilization to leave bibliographic material, in form of a large number of tablets written in cuneiform. Among magic references, we found the divinity Enlil, lord of the ghost-land. His gifts to mankind were said to be the spells and incantations that the spirits of good or evil were compelled to obey.

Sumerologist Samuel Noah Kramer asserts, "No people has contributed more to the culture of mankind than the Sumerians"

**3. Bú: **A gigantic owl (buhó) form the iberic folklore, derived probably from Celtic mythology. It's black and enormous in size and wings, with big (often as big as soup bowls) red eyes that can paralyze it's victims with fear and sharp beak and talons. It's said to capture little kids and take them away, never to be seen again. Its natural habitats are oak forests (a sacred tree for the Celtics).

**4. Alatriste: **It's the surname of the main fictional character of the Spanish writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte series of novels named _"Capitan Alatrsite"._ Witch deals with the life of the Captain Diego Alatriste y Tenorio, a Spanish soldier and man of fortune living in the 17th century.

The novels are set on the Spanish Golden Age (17th Century), a period of flourishing in arts and literature in Spain, coinciding with the political rise and decline of the Spanish Habsburg (of an Austrian dynasty) dynasty. Witters such as Lope de Vega (famous for _"Fuenteovejuna"_) and Miguel de Cervantes (author of _"El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha"_) are form this time, as well as the painter Diego Velázquez (_"Las Meninas")_.

***Uneven number: **They are not an uneven number. As I said on the last chapter's footnotes, I'm going with the idea that every house has five boys and three girls, making eight students per house in Harry's year. In Gryffindor and Slytherin double potions class that will make sixteen students, perfectly even. But, somehow I got the impression that Snape will allow Slytherins to be a trio… if just to stop them from working with a Gryffindor.


	4. First year: Chapter IV

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary: **_When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I 'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we all hurt, laugh, live, died and love.

**Rating:** T for language, may become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** includes DMHG, HPGW, RLNT and more.

**Warning: OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain homosexual couples or insinuations.**

**Note: **So, since I'm leaving on a New Year's vacation I was thinking of posting the new chapter earlier. I'm really exited about this story and I'm planning so much...! *o* I wish you people will show some love-like-criticism in form of reviews, because I know you are reading. come on! it takes no time to say: "hey, like it!" "hey, hate it."

by the way, thank you to the persons that had followed/liked this so far.

here's the chapter!

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**First year: IV. Even the troll has more emotional tact than you Ronal Weasley!**

_"When all of your flaws and all of my flaws  
Are laid out one by one  
The wonderful part of the mess that we made"_

**_Bastille - Flaws_**

Bookworm. Know-it-all. Bossy. Annoying. Bushy hair.

It hurt a lot.

Sure she did love reading and did know the books by memory. And if she tried to answer everything in class was because she took pride in her knowledge and wanted to earn the points for her house. There was nothing wrong with that. What was the damage in it? Nothing. But they were really mean. Everyone. Even her housemates, yes in less degree but they did it.

And Ravenclaws were supposed to be the intellectual ones.

Bitter tears were forming on her eyes. Slowly she picked her books that a fifth year had knocked out of her hands. She harshly wiped her eyes. She stood up, shaking and began walking to the library. Why she was so alone? Was she really that bad?

She was pushed roughly into the floor again. Boy voices came to her ears.

"I'm so... Oh... It's you. Want to correct me again know-it-all?" she looked up. Gryffindor robes, red hair and nasty scold. Weasley. Her eyes watered again. The books dropped from her arms and she ran away, tears streaming down her cheeks.

In the hallway the other Gryffindors were looking at Ronald Weasley with incredulous eyes.

"Man, you made her cry." Said the boy-who-lived. A faint redness appeared in the ginger's ears.

"So? She really is a nightmare. No wonder why she doesn't have friends." And he stormed away.

Probably Halloween was the most awesome decorated feast of the school. Maybe because it was Halloween and witches and wizards had a special connection with the date (1). Who knew? A thousand living bats flutter from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly in the gold plates, as it had on the star-of-term feast. Victoria scanned the Ravenclaw table, looking for Hermione. She frowned. Theo sitting in front of her looked at her curiously.

"I can't find Hermione." She stated. Blaise next to Theo looked above her head to the eagle's table. Draco was sitting on the other side of Theo with Vincent to his side and Gregory in front of him. The blond boy raised an eyebrow, the other looked at her curious. She crossed her arms, angry.

"She said she was coming to seat with us for the feast." was her simple statement. The boys scanned themselves the table. Except for Vincent and Gregory, who were engrossed in the task of eating (again). Ugh. Disgusting.

"Maybe she's late..." suggested Theo. Victoria bit her lip.

"Are you sure she isn't with her Ravenclaw friends _piccola_?" (little one) Blaise said smoothly. Victoria eye twitched at the ridiculous nickname the Italian boy had given her. Draco snorted. They wondered for some seconds if it was whether to mock the Spanish girl or for the ridiculous suggestion

"Who in his sane mind would choose them over us?" A smirk formed in the pale lips of Draco.

"He is right Blasie." Theo commented. Victoria sighed.

"She was not in any the classes today." The boys looked at her, curious again. "And Blaise...? Don't call me that." She added dangerously. Theo and Draco (and by default Gregory and Vincent) laughed. Some places up in the table Pansy and Daphne were sitting. The black haired girl turned her eyes to them and said.

"The Ravenclaw bookworm?" Four pair of eyes looked up at her. "I heard that some Gryffindors made her cry before lunch, in the courtyard." Victoria's eyes narrowed.

"Who?" Daphne answered Victoria's question a bit more softly than Pansy.

"Weasley, Potter, Finnegan and Thomas" Draco snorted, Theo made a disgusted face, Blaise rolled his eyes and Victoria stood up when the doors banged open.

Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban asked and terror on his face. Everybody stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table and gasped, "Troll, in the dungeons, thought you ought to know". He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploring from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Perfects, lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!" All of the Slytherines stood up and stared scrambling to the door, following Pipa.

"Hermione..." Victoria said. The three boys looked at her, eyes wide.

"There's a bloody troll, didn't you hear?" Draco said to her, she put her hands in her hips.

"Exactly! Because of the stupid Gryffindors she's out there alone!" The boys took a second to digest this. Draco snorted again and Theo murmured curses under his breath. The blond ducked under the arm of a sixth year and looked at them with an eyebrow raised. The four of them pushed and shoved their way to the lion's table. Draco pulled the back of Harry tunic and Theo grabbed Ron's.

"What in the name of Merlin?" the black hair boy said. Then his eyes narrowed when he looked at the face of Draco. "Malfoy...!" The blond smirked. Next to him Ron was trying to get away from Theo.

"Potter... where is Hermione?" Draco hissed. The two Gryffindors looked puzzled. Victoria stomped her feet on the floor.

"The Ravenclaw girl you made cry! you... you...!" Blasie brushed his hand to Victoria's trying to calm her down. Harry's eyes widen and a funny red colour appeared in the ears of Ron.

"Oh..." the red-head said awkwardly. "I overhead Parvati saying to Lavender that her twin found her in the bathroom crying." Theo glared at him. "First floor I think..." he added quickly.

"Fine." Draco spat then he grabbed the tunic of Ron. "You are coming with us." Harry jumped in.

"No! I won't let..." Victoria stomped her foot on the floor again.

"Come too if you want." disgust clearly in her voice. "Let's go and find her". The six of them quickly run out of the hallway, avoiding the perfects and began climbing the stairs.

Quick footsteps were behind them. In a hurry they hide in the shadows behind a griffin statue. Theo took a look to see if the cost was clear. He nodded and quietly as possible they crept along the next corridor.

"Theo, who was it?" Draco asked.

"Professor Snape" he said. The other Slytherins tensed a little, he was the House Head after all. The Gryffindors were unaware of this but exchanged a confused look. What was Snape doing here and not in the dungeons? Finally they reach the girls bathroom and enter. The boys were uncomfortable, the Slytherines masking it and looking cool about it and the Gryffindors extremely red. Victoria smirked at them. Soft sobs came from the last stall. Victoria went and knocked the door softly.

"Go away!" was the muffled answer.

"Hermione. It's me. Open up." The sobs stopped.

"Victoria?" the Slytherin girl snorted.

"Yeah. Who else? Rowena Ravenclaw?" a weak laugh came from inside. Ron was incredible red by now and snapped.

"Why Harry and I are here? She's fine!" The Slytherins glared at him.

"My, my... I knew you were poor Weasley, but I believed manners didn't need to be bought." Draco sneer at him. Theo added then.

"And Potter here... Well he insisted on coming." The redhead turned around and tried to reach Draco but Blaise grabbed his robe, making him fall at his feet. He snorted, keeping his comments.

"Hey!" Potter came to defend his friend. "You don't have manners either." Draco made a 'tch' sound and look at the boy on the floor. Theo rolled his eyes.

"When I make a girl cry I apologize" Blasie said with dignity. The bathroom stall was now open and Hermione was hugging the smaller girl. Her brown eyes puffy and red. The Gryffindors looked uncomfortable. Ron opened his mouth and said angrily.

"For Merlin's! She fine and it not like I lied! She really is annoying! A bloody know-it-all! Or don't you realize that SHE. HAS. NO. FRIENDS!?" He yelled the last words. More tears leaked from Hermione's eyes. Blaise and Theo glared at Ron and restrained Draco, who had his hand around his wand. He didn't actually need an excuse to hex them and now he had it. Harry was looking with wide eyes to his friend.

"Ron... I think..." He said trying to calm the angry boy. Said boy stood up and glared at the Slytherins.

"What?!" He yelled. Victoria had her wand pointed at him.

"I am her friend..." She murmured softly. Hermione wiped her tears and graved her wand. Taking a deep breath she took a step forward.

"I do have friends. And I'm tired of people like you! Treating me bad just because I'm smarter, how lame of you. You know what? I. HATE. YOU." she spat angrily. Draco stopped struggling and glared at redhead that was gapping like a fish. Harry shook his head; his friend had no tact at all. Theo and Blaise had smirks in their faces and Victoria nodded in approval. Draco then added.

"You sure are a riffraff." Ron turned a deep shade of red, almost purple like.

"You are all really annoying! Bloody Slytherins!" before anyone could retort a disgusting smell filled the air and a grunt came from the door. The two girls paled with their eye above the head of the boys. Gulping the Gryffindor boys turned around and saw the troll in the doorway. Blocking the exit.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was dull, granite colour, its great lumpy body like a boulder with a small bald head. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. His large arms hang in its side and a huge wooden club was clutched in his arm. Its mean little eyes were looking at them.

Their yells must have attracted it and now they were trapped. Slowly the boys made their way back to where the girls were. Victoria and Hermione were hugging each other again pressed against the wall. The troll moved with them, knocking the sinks off the wall. With each hit everybody visible cringed. Harry made something stupid, or brave, and bent down to grab a pipe, throwing it over the troll into the wall. The troll spun around and scratched his head stupidly. Then it roared and swung the club against the stalls. Wood splinter and chunks flied everywhere. Theo and Draco dived to the other side, covering next to the remaining sinks. Harry dropped to the floor and covered his head. Blaise lunged to the girls and made them crash on the floor, covering their faces.

The troll then turned to the redhead boy, who was still standing and frozen with shock, and swung his club. Draco swore and sent a levitation spell to some pipes behind the troll that went crashing to the floor. The troll roared again and moved the club towards the pipes that had crashed sending them flying into the air in the direction of Harry who rolled out of the way. The troll went to him. Theo shook his head and used the same tactic than Draco.

"Why are we saving bloody Gryffindors?!" he yelled to Draco who just glared. The scream had attracted the troll, again, and was looking at them evilly. Theo swallowed. "I should have stayed quiet". Blaise was pulling the girls trying to make them run to the door; both of them were paler than the Bloody Baron. Victoria was tugging Hermione, unable to talk and the Ravenclaw unable to stand. Potter in another display of Gryffindor courage (stupidity) jumped into the trolls back and was hanging from its neck. The wand that was in his hand on the jump was now on the nose of the troll. Theo and Draco cringe at this.

"For Rowena! Someone do something!" yelled Hermione before fainting. Victoria mouth hung open and Blaise tried to awake the brunet. Theo and Draco were again on the floor when the sink next to them was hit. The troll was howling with pain.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" the red head had finally moved.

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, raised high, high up into the air, turn slowly over and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and the fell flat on his face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble. There were some seconds of silence while everyone recovered their heartbeat and breath.

"Well you Gryffindors are bloody stupid." Draco finally spat and proceeded to clean his robes of debris and splinters. Ron closed his mouth and turned around, fuming.

"What?!" He spat angrily. Theo rolled his eyes and the scowl of Draco became deeper. Blasie shook his head and pulled Hermione in a sitting position. Harry picked his wand from the troll's nose and cleaned it then crossed his arms.

"Oh for Salazar! You made Hermione cry and that's we are here!" Theo said disgusted. Victoria stomped her foot and regain her voice. She snorted and said viciously.

"Well Weasley... it is a luck that Hermione corrected your spells... isn't it?" She then knelt next to the other girl. "Bloody idiot."

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made them look up. They hadn't realized that with the fights, yelling and the troll in general they had make a racket and the professors must have hear the crashes and troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting in the room, followed by Professor Snape with Professor Quirrell in tow. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher looked at the troll, let out a faint whimper and sat down on the only toilet that remained, clutching his heart.

The scene was interesting. Blasie in front of the two girls protecting them. Victoria kneeling next to Hermione that was just coming back to her senses. Ron with his wand aiming at the troll and facing Draco. Theo was supporting himself with the wall and standing next to Draco who had his wand out and lastly Harry who was glaring back at forth between the Slytherins and his friend. Professor Snap bent over the troll, looking at the damage. Professor McGonagall was looking at them, her eyes blazing with anger and her lips white.

"What in earth were you thinking of?" The Slytherins glance quickly at each other and relaxed their postures, their mouths shut. The Gryffindors were not so fast. "You are lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't in your dormitory?" The Slytherines eyes fell on their House Head. He understood and smirked. Ah! The Gryffindors were not going to get away this time. The small voice of Hermione broke the tension.

"Professor McGonagall, they were looking for me." the transfiguration teacher looked at the Ravenclaw.

"Miss Granger!"

"Yes, if I recall Miss Granger was not in the hall to have dinner and she was absent of my class this afternoon. Care to explain why?" asked Professor Snape eyeing the two Gryffindors with a smirk. Harry gulped and Ron became red. The brown hair girl looked at the teachers.

"I..." she said weakly. Then she took a deep breath and finally said. "I was hiding..." Victoria glared to the Gryffindors. Professor McGonagall noticed this.

"Miss Acevedo?"

"Professor, we just came to look for her and made this two come along so he" she darted her eyes to the red head "could apologized to Hermione"

"Is that so Mr. Weasley?" he nodded weakly his face draining of colour. "I'm very disappointed of you, five points will be taken from Gryffindor." She then exhaled and looked at the scene in front of her. "Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win five points to you respective houses. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this." In that moment another three persons burst into the room, the perfects of their houses. Percy Weasley was panting and became pale when he saw his bother next to the troll. Penelope Clearwater let out a sigh when she found Hermione. Pippa Parkinson crossed her arms looking at the four Slytherines. Professor Snape raised his eyebrow at them and Pippa explained.

"We noticed that our houses were missing first years and came to look for them. Professor Sprout told us that something was happening here."

"Very well take them back to the common rooms". The potions professor said. Percy motioned Harry and his brother to follow them. Everyone could hear the "What were you thinking? Thanks Merlin you are safe." When they went out of the door. Hermione stood up and Penelope put an arm around her shoulder reassuring her that everything was going to be fine and asking her if she was hurt. The girl just shook her head. Pippa raised her eyebrow at the four Slytherins who just shrugged, rolled their eyes or smirked, the five of them leaving quietly.

"Very well, I'll leave the troll to you two and I'll go to inform Albus of the events." said Professor McGonagall to her co-workers.

There were things that you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll was not one of them.

* * *

**1. Halloween: **also know as All Hallows Eve, is a yearly celebration on October 31th. It's the time in the liturgical year to remember the dead. It's has it's origins in the Christianisation of a Celtic harvest rituals, with pagan roots such as the Gaelic Samhain.

Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic New Year. It's the moment when earth dies after autumn and lays dormant in winter, the harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and the leaves have fallen from the trees. It's also time of communication with the ancestors or loved ones that had passed the veil.

* * *

so this chapter, I do have doubts that is way to... random? crazy? out of character? but the troll stuff is to good to stop myself from writing about it. am I getting to crazy? probably. but this is the only chapter (so far) that has this kind of crazy stuff.

review and have a happy new year.


	5. First year: Chapter V

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary: **_When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I 'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we all hurt, laugh, live, died and love.

**Rating:** T for language, may become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** includes DMHG, HPGW, RLNT and more.

**Warning: OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain homosexual couples or insinuations.**

**Note: **I love this chapter. gives me the feels...! jajaja. anyway, it's a really short chapter, but I hope you enjoy. thank you to the ones that have read, favorited, followed and review this so far. knowing that someone has read it makes me want to keep on. first year is almost over, one more chapter an then off to second.

* * *

**First year: Chapter V. Late night detention and nightmares**

_""Don't look, don't look" the shadows breathe"_

**_The Cure – Burn_**

It had been funny; hell it had been bloody fantastic. Thanks to Potter, Lombotton and that girl, Lisa Turpin, Gryffindor had lost one hundred and fifty points and the chance to win the House Cup. Sure, Draco had loosed fifty points to Slytherin, but fifty was nothing compared to one hundred and fifty. Oh yes, 'Potter we own you one.' The Gryffindor boy was no longer a Quidditch hero. Huh, he could be the youngest seeker of the century but that was not saving him. A fact that Draco liked to sneer over. Nothing the young Malfoy had pulled was as fantastic as this, not the fake midnight duel, the incident with brooms and the remember-ball, the fight in the Quidditch match, all of their potions classes. Nothing was as grate as this. Victoria watched them amused at breakfast, the snakes basking in the loose of the lions. It was funny. Blaise had dropped Potter's backpack from his desk in potions and no one, not even Gryffindors, had said anything. Turpin and Weasley, had glared at him but retreated at the sight of Professor Snape. Theo and Victoria laughed over the smoke of their potion. Childish yes, but the frustrated look on the Gryffindors was priceless. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on Potter, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. It was so epic.

Until that morning, Draco had forgotten that he had to endure a detention. On the Forbidden Forest. That is when things stopped being funny to him. In fact they were not amusing at all. He said goodbye to Blaise and Theo in their shared room. Sulking all the way until he was outside of the common room, the stone wall slamming back in place after he left.

It was almost fifteen before eleven o'clock.

Vincent and Goyle were already fast asleep. Blaise was reading an Italian novel next to the under water window, the glow of it barely enough to see the black ink letters. Cities of fantasy and poetic (1) described in the dusty pages. Cities that where once so far away, in a land from other world perhaps. Cities of eyes, of memory, of death. Happy cities, lonely cities. Cities that you cannot live.

Blaise eyes looked from the pages of the book towards the bed of Theo. The British boy had sat up and balanced himself on the side of the bed. Slowly he rose and looked at Blaise. He had green sad eyes. He walked quietly and dropped himself on the floor. Minutes passed in silence. The Italian returned to the text between his hands.

"I was just dreaming of sad things. Of things long dead." Theo finally said. Blaise looked at him, taking up the book and reading.

_"(…)Una città che vedo in sogno, dove non s'incontrano che morti, il sogno mi fa paura." (2) _He mumbled softly.

"A city that I see in my dreams, where I see only deceased, if so the dream scares me." Victoria translated from the door. She looked so small in the bluish light. Blaise nodded. Victoria's head was uncovered, her perpetual handkerchiefs discarded in the night. Shiny, long black hair covered her shoulders and face. She pulled the cover form Blaise's bed and drop on the other side of the Italian, covering herself and shivering on the fabric. Theo shivered and wrapped his arms around his knees. Blaise looked at them and opened the book again. He read it quietly first and then translated it, slowly and carefully.

"Thin cities (3). Now if you want to believe me, fine. I'll tell you how Ottavia is, the spiderweb-city. There is a precipice between two steep mountains: the city is over the void, bound to the two crests with ropes and chains and catwalks. You walk on the little wooden ties, careful not to set your foot in the open spaces, or you cling to the hempen strands. Below there is nothing for hundreds and hundreds of feet: a few clouds glide past; farther down you can glimpse the chasm's bed. This is the foundation of the city: a net which serves as passage and as support. All the rest, instead of rising up, is hung below: rope ladders, hammocks, houses made like sacks, clothes hangers, terraces like gondolas, skins of water, gas jets, spits, baskets on strings, dumb-waiters, showers, trapezes and rings for children's games, cable cars, chandeliers, pots with trailing plants. Suspended over the abyss, the life of Octavia's inhabitants is less uncertain than in other cities. They know the net will last only so long." His voice a soft murmured until the three of them fell asleep. Dreaming of a city that floats over a kingdom of clouds. Secure away from nightmares.

Draco found them when he came back. Pale and shaking, cover in cold sweat. He pulled the cover from Theo's bed and covered them. Snorting a little, thinking that if they catch a cold it'll not be his fault. He took the book from Blaise's hands and skimmed the black ink letters in his own bed, not really understanding the words in Italian, but secure and safe until he too fell asleep the dark things and omens he seen on the forest not disturbing him for the night.

On the morning, none said anything about the nightmares and stories. But on the next night, when Draco suddenly woke in the middle of the night with the terrific image of the forest nightmare figure dripping unicorn blood and crawling to him, all of the –Blaise, Theo, Victoria and Draco- pulled out covers and blankets and huddle on the common room's fire place with books of literature and overdue homework. Laughing and reading in French, Italian, Spanish and English.

* * *

**1. Cities of fantasy and poetic: **Reference to Italo Calvino's novel, _"The invisible cities" (in italian, Le città invisibili) _

Italo Calvino was born in Cuba (1923). He was from an Italian family. Shortly after that the family returned to Italy, where Calvino spent the rest of his life (died in 1985) and where his work as an author was developed.

_"The invisible cities"_ was published in 1972. The book is a collection of descriptions of the fantastic cities Marco Polo sees during his travels as the ambassador of Kublai Kan, emperor of the Tatars (Kublai Kan was historically the fifth and last Mongol emperor and firs Chinese emperor form the Yuan dynasty).

The book is divided in nine chapters that describe fifty-five cities grouped in eleven categories that describe the nature of the cities. This are: Cities & Memory, Cities & Desire, Cities & Signs, Thin Cities, Trading Cities, Cities & Eyes, Cities & Names, Cities & the Dead, Cities & the Sky, Continuous Cities, Hidden Cities.

**_2. Una città che vedo in sogno, dove non s'incontrano che morti, il sogno mi fa paura/_** **_A city that I see in my dreams, where I see only deceased, if so the dream scares me: _**fragment form the city Adelma, second city of the category of Dead found on the sixth chapter.

The part in English is a rough translation form the Spanish book made by myself.

**_3. Thin Cities, Ottavia:_** fifth of the Thin Cities, found on the fifth chapter. The translation from Spanish is partially from Internet and partially from me.


	6. First year: Chapter VI

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary:** _When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II. Everyone hurts.

**Rating:** T for language, might become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** DMHG, TNLL, BZVA (OC), HPGW, RLNT and more.

**Warning: OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain homosexual couples or insinuations.**

**Note: **last chapter concerning the first year (and first book). things get more interesting from now on, seeing as the events on the next book are more of school knowledge. enjoy and leave your comments.

oh, and the lyrics... hahahaha.

* * *

**First year: Chapter VI. Saint Potter, or the downfall of the noble house of Slytherin**

_"And it's harder than you think_

_Telling dreams from one another_

_And you thought the lions were bad"_

**_Bastille - Daniel In The Den_**

"I hate Potter and his sidekicks." said Theo while pushing his plate away. The food had not appeared but clearly it would not be as tasty as before. Definitely they were not even as hungry as before.

"I know how you feel." murmured Victoria her head resting on the table. The emerald handkerchief around her head falling over the table. Her words were barely audible above thee cheering of the three other houses.

_"Va bene, non c'è bisogno di piangere piccola"_ (It's ok, no need to cry small one) answered Blaise. The girl looked up, not amused at his words.

_"No voy a llorar, estoy tramando la caída de Potter y compañía. ¡Ademas no me gusta que me digas pequeña!"_ (I'm not going to cry; I am plotting the fall of Potter and company. Beside I don't like when you call me little!) Was her answer. Blaise smirked and pointed.

_"Si è piccoli."_ (You are little.) Victoria narrowed her eyes and was about to retort when Theo cut in.

"Oh shut up!" Blaise 'tched' and glanced at Victoria. The girl had crossed her arms and was pouting. The food appeared in the golden plates in that moment. Vincent and Gregory immediately began pilling food in their plates. Draco was between them, glaring at the red decorations of the hall. If they could burn under his gaze the whole room would be on fire by now. Theo sighed and stared at the mashed potatoes in front of him, wondering if he should eat it or not. Victoria had a glass of pumpkin juice but she hadn't drunk anything of it. Blaise looked at the rest of his house. He shook his head.

"You all look pathetic. All depress because they decided to created excuses to save those poor idiots?" Draco turned sharply and frowned. Theo and Victoria glanced quickly at the rest of the table and also frowned. Blaise was right.

"Bloody Gryfindors." murmured Theo while poking a sausage with his fork. Draco glared one more time to the Gryffindors while Victoria sipped her water in a dignified way. Around them, people had begun thinking the same. Blaise smirked, approving the return of the collected and noble Slytherins. Losing the house cup was a small misstep, not the end of the world. Victoria in front of him 'tched'. The Italian boy looked at her wondering. She met his gaze and frowned.

"How on earth Potter, Weasley, Turpin and Lombotton did… well how did they do anything?" She said. "They are not even smart or courageous." Blaise smirked again, nodding. Theo settled down his fork and added.

"Of course not, they are lucky and pretty stupid." Draco let out a snort.

"As if. It is Saint Potter and Dumbledore has to favour him." A general sarcastic laugh was the answer, everyone around seemed too agreed with the young Malfoy and he smirked satisfied.

And with that, the rest of the feast when smoothly.

The next day a sort of bliss and calm, that seemed to be even present in nature, settle in the castle. The sky was an impossible blue and the sun was warm and bright. Most of the students were out bathing in the happy rays. The Slytherins were Slytherins and stayed out of it, in the nice shade. The exams scores came and the days went. Hermione, as she had showed the Slytherines in the courtyard, had the highest scores, followed by Draco. He was not really amused that a girl had beaten him. But as Victoria stated, with a very proud Hermione in the background, she was a Ravenclaw, they were the smart ones, and he was better at potions. Theo had added that for his luck it had not been a Gryffindor. Draco visibly relaxed and the amusement had been general.

Soon they had been on the train, returning to their houses. The sky kept the bright shade of blue, no clouds on sight. The summer promised to be hot. Victoria was looking at the sky, deep in thought.

"A flower for your thoughts _piccola._" (little one.) Said Blaise. She frowned at him. There was no way to make him drop the ridiculous nickname?

"You don't have a flower." She pointed. He smirked and reclined back in the seat. Theo was next to Victoria talking to Hermione. Draco was next to Blaise, with Gregory and Vincent next to him. The boys were eating sweets. Victoria reclined into the window, ready to take a nap, when Blaise talked again.

"True." He picked a box of 'Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour' from Gregory, who opened his mouth to protest but thought it better and returned to his chocolate frogs "A sweet for your thoughts?" Victoria rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Only if it's a nice flavour." Her hand pulled out a blue coloured one. Slowly and cautiously she bit it. Everyone was looking at her.

"Grape fruit." She said slowly, eating the rest of the sweet. "I was thinking that it will be really hot at my home." She snatched the box from the Italian boy and offered it to Theo. He took a black coloured one and bit it. His face immediately contorted in disgust.

"Curry." The rest chucked at his discomfort. Victoria looked at him and her face lit with amusement.

"Bad flavour. Do a dare." Everyone glanced at her. "Like a game. You pick a Bertie Bott, if it's a nice flavour you tell us something and if it's something disgusting you do a dare." There was a collective laugh and they began picking sweets. Theo ended with his tie changed to Huffelpuff colours, Draco was still angry at them for making him sing the Hogwarts's song, Victoria had to mimic everything Draco said (which didn't help his anger) Vincent had to surrender his sweets and Gregory was still green for eating a handful of beans. Hermione had refused to eat anything and was giggling behind a book. Finally, when they could stop teasing each other and return to normal their faces and clothing (Gregory's face was still green) they changed out of their uniforms (Hermione and Victoria kicked the boys out to do so) and in no time they had reached the nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

_"Piccola, devi scrivere a me."_ (Little one, you have to write to me.) Blaise said to Victoria while they stepped out of the train.

_"No chiamarmi piccolo."_ (Don't call me little one.) She answered rolling her eyes. Theo came to them.

"My father is waiting for me in the platform." He told them. "I'll write. The manor can be really boring. Good bye." Victoria smiled and Blaise nodded.

_"Mia mamma _(My mother) is waiting for me." The Italian boy said biding goodbye to the Spanish girl. Hermione step next to her.

"You'll answered letters this time?" She said poking the black hair girl, who rolled her eyes. "Don't be like that… you almost never writing back. Do it once?" Victoria smiled.

"Write something interesting and maybe I'll do it."

"Oh you are terrible!" she said.

"We thought the same the very first time we saw her" Two redheads passed in front of them, winking mischievously. Both girls blinked confused and glanced at each other. "Well girls, have a great summer." The twins disappear into the platform.

"Well, that was weird. I thought that Gryffindors didn't like us… well didn't like your house." Hermione said. Victoria nodded in approval. Hermione looked over Victoria and spotted her mother and father. She waved at them. "My parents are here, have grate holidays." Before getting to her parents she turned around and yelled. "And answer our letters!"

Victoria rolled her eyes and waved uncaringly. Hermione left with her parents. Victoria also walked out of the platform.

Time to go home.


	7. Second year: Chapter II

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' and I'm not making any profit out of this story.

**-Gravity-**

**Summary: **_When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I 'm who I've got to be. _Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we all hurt, laugh, live, died and love.

**Rating:** T for language, may become M for gore, use of alcohol and/or sexual content.

**Gender:** Drama – Romance – Hurt/Comfort – Adventure – Family – Friendship

**Pairings:** includes DMHG, HPGW, RLNT and more.

**Warning:** OC's and non-canon, almost AU. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and Welsh. May contain insinuations of Yaoi and/or Yuri, nothing serious.

**Note:** so... new chapter, I was going to upload this a last week but I got caught up with the begin of a new year of work and studies. enjoy! this is one of my favorite chapters so far. it has a lot, lot, lot of spanish but as all ways I have the translation next to it and it's pretty much correct. still, might be a little confusing but bear it with me.

enjoy your reading and leave a comment, will you?

* * *

**Second year: Chapter I. Spanish flowers**

_"And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones."_

**_Daughter - Youth_**

"_Victoria llevas 15 minutos observando esa carta."_ (Victoria you have been staring at that letter for 15 minutes). Victoria, a young Spanish girl, looked up. She had long black hair, violet eyes and slightly tan skin mottled with small freckles. A man with the same black hair and complexion was sitting on an armchair near an open window. Victoria led back into the sofa, a letter in her lap.

_"¿Como lo sabes?" _(How do you tell?) The man laughed, directing his face towards the girl.

_"Estoy ciego, pero no nací ayer."_ (I am blind, but I wasn't born yesterday.) He opened his eyes, white and staring at the nothingness. _"Recibiste correo, tres cartas, pero no has abierto dos de ellas. Bueno, ¿me vas a contar?"_ (You got mail, three letters, but you haven't open two of them. Well, are you going to tell me?) Victoria rolled her eyes.

_"Vale, vale..."_ (Ok, ok...) Victoria sighed and looked at the parchment and ink of the letter. She actually cursed in her mind the moment the owl had come with the post. Yes owl post, because both of them were a wizard and a witch. Victoria was fresh from her first year in Hogwarts School of Wizard and Witchcraft.

_"Las cartas son de mis amigos del colegio."_ (The letters are from my friend from school.) She said slowly, trying to find the way to explain it. The man made a gesture with his hands to make her continue. _"Esta es de Theo. Me está invitando a pasar dos semana en su mansión, antes del inicio de curso."_ (This one it's from Theo. He is inviting me to spend two week in his manor, before the start of term.) The man frowned.

_"¿Y cuál es el problema?" _(And what is the problem?) Victoria frowned and shook her head.

_"No me quiero ir de aquí papá." _(I don't want to leave here dad.) The man smiled softly.

_"Lo sé mi niña" _(I know my child). Victoria opened her mouth to say something but her father interrupted with a wave. _"Lo sé. Pero no tienes que preocuparte por mí, estoy bien y Gracía me puede cuidar."_ (I know. But you don't have to worry for me, I am fine and Gracía can take care of me.") Victoria sighed again.

_"Lo se. Es solo que..."_ (I know. Is just that...) The smile in the face of his father became a bit sad.

_"Ven para acá."_ (Come here.) Victoria stood up and placed the letter in the coffee table in front of her. She made her way towards her father. Victoria had a long sleeved olive green shirt with embroider designs in the rim and squared neck, cream pants and black slippers. Softly she placed a hand in her father's shoulder. The man was dressed in a similar fashion that Victoria, but his robes were plain, completely white and the neck had buttons.

_"Aquí estoy papá."_ (I'm here dad.) The man raised his head and put his hand on Victoria's, squeezing it. The girl sighed and waited for him to start talking. Her eyes darted around the room. The walls were soft brown and had 'U' shaped red couch placed in the other side of the room. The couch was of the size of the room and was full of cushions embodied with gold tread and in different shades of red. A round coffee table was in the middle of the couch, Victoria's letters on top of it. Above the centre part of the couch was a double door cabinet. An Arabic rug with was placed on the floor beneath the table. In fact, the whole room was Arabic, the rug, the cushions, the cabinet and even the clothes they were using.

Victoria and her dad where next to a big window that leaded to a balcony. It had Arabic columns and arcs, and a view over a stone courtyard, fountain and everything. Victoria sighed again. Outside the window she could see the sun shining on the walls and imagine the cool breezed fluttering around the courtyard.

"Victoria" The girl gazed at her father, really looking at him. He had the same black shinny hair and the same skin colour, but his was flawless with no freckles, and big round white eyes, Gracía -the house elf- often told Victoria that they use to be blue. His lips were pale and thin, his cheeks were somewhat sunken and he had dark circles under her eyes. He looked sick. Victoria squeezed her father's hand to let him know she was listening. _"¿Como te ves ahora?"_ (How do you look now?) Victoria opened her mouth to answerd. _"No digas nada. Acércate."_ (Don't say anything. Come closer.) The girl leaned forward. Her father's hand let go of hers and softly traced her face and hair. _"Eres una niña bonita. No vale la pena que te quedes guardada en la casa."_ (You are a pretty girl. It's a waste if you stay stored in the house) Victoria shook her head.

_"Papá, me gusta quedarme guardada." _(Dad, I like to stay stored.) Her voice was somewhat sarcastic. Her father laughed and then shook his head, like father like daughter.

_"Bueno, no está bien."_ (Well, it's not ok) Victoria opened her mouth to retort. _"No, escúchame Victoria. Anda a ver el mundo que yo no puedo ver. Y no me digas que estás sola, hay tres cartas en esa mesa que me prueban lo contrario."_ (No, listen to me Victoria. Go and see the world that I can longer see. And don't tell me you are alone, there are three letters on the table that tell me otherwise.) Victoria sighed again. _"Deja de suspirar. Sabes que tengo razón."_ (Stop sighing. You know I'm right.)

_"Vale, vale… 'Los padres siempre tiene la razón.'"_ (Ok, ok… 'Fathers always know') She took a big breath. _"Quieres que vaya, ¿verdad?"_ (You want me to go, don't you?) The man smile, but Victoria didn't notice it.

_"Si."_ (Yes) Victoria's fist curled in her side.

_"Siempre quieres que me vaya lejos."_ (You always want me to go far away.) The man sighed, rubbing his chin deep in thought. Then he squeezed the hand of his daughter, a soft look on his face.

_"No es de esa manera."_ (It's not that way.)

_"Quieres que me vaya este verano. Y no me enviaste a Salamanca, o a Francia. Me mandaste hasta Inglaterra. Eso está muy lejos."_ (You want me to leave this summer. And you didn't send me to Salamanca, or to France. You send me all the way to England. That's far away.) Victoria's voice was upset. Her father shook his head and laughed.

_"Mi niña,"_ (My girl) Victoria sighed and closed her eyes again_. "no te estoy enviando lejos."_ (I'm not sending you far away.) Victoria snorted. _"Vale, lo estoy haciendo, pero no porque quiera que te alejes. Tengo razones para hacerlo."_ (Ok, I'm doing it, but I don't want you to be far away. I have reasons to do so.) Victoria frowned, confused.

_"Papá, ¿Por qué entonces?"_ (Dad, why then?)

_"Bueno, algunas por razones de padre y otras por promesas más antiguas."_ (Well, some are fatherly reasons and some others are older promises.)

_"Papá…" _(Dad…) Victoria groaned.

_"Ya." _(Now.) The man brows furrowed, thinking deeply. _"Me alegra que tengas amigos. Por eso me gustaría que fueras con ellos. Tienes que crecer y no me gustaría que te lo perdieras. Es cierto, el estado de mi salud no es el mejor,"_ (I'm happy that you have friends. That's why I'll like if you spent time with them. You want to grow up and I don't wish for you to miss it. It's true, my health is not in its best shape,) Victoria shook her head. _"pero es normal, yo debería morir antes que tu."_ (but its normal, I should die before you.) Victorias frowned and her fist clutched the fabric of his father's tunic. She kept silent, frustrated. There was a tense pause. _"¿Salamanca? A esa iras luego de Hogwarts. La academia no es muy buena, la universidad sí. Y no quise enviarte a Francia, demasiada etiqueta y elegancia. No soportarías a las chicas y sus excesos de maquillaje y vestidos"_ (Salamanca? You'll go there after Hogwarts. The academy is not that good, the university is better. And I didn't want to send you to France, too much etiquette and elegance. You wouldn't put up with the girls and their excess of make-up and dresses.) Victoria made a 'tch' sound, giving her father the reason. The man laughed. _"¿Lo ves? Realmente quería que fueras a Francia, como todas las mujeres en la familia. Pero lo pensé mejor."_ (You see? I really wanted you to go to France, like the other women on the family. But I thought it better.) She smiled to the girl in her lap. _"Esas son mis razones de padre. Eres lo mejor que tengo y quiero lo mejor para ti."_ (Those are my fatherly reasons. You are the best that I have and I want the best for you.)

_"Si esa son tus razones de padre, ¿me vas a contar el resto?"_ (If those are your fatherly reasons, would you tell me the rest?) Her father kept quiet for a while. Victoria began to think that he wouldn't say anything. Victoria sighed and was going to walk away when her father spoke.

_"No son exactamente promesas."_ (They are not exactly promises.) Victoria looked at his dad, letting go of the fabric she had been holding. The man kept his hold on her hand. _"Fue antes de que nacieras. Era mayo, tu abuela había abierto el patio por el Festival de los Patios (1). Era un verano caluroso, como este."_ (It was before you were born. It was May, your grandma had opened the yard for the _Festival de los Patios (1)_. It was a hot summer, like this one.) He paused for a moment thinking his next words. _"Esa noche llovió. Fue muy raro, recuerdo que Eda (la elfina de ese tiempo) estaba muy preocupada. Decía que la lluvia no era natural."_ (It rained that night. It was weir, I remember Eda (the elf of that moment) was worried a lot. She said that the rain was not normal.) He turned his head towards his daughter. _"Un hombre llego a la casa. Recuerdo que todo acerca de él era oscuro, su cabello, sus ojos, su ropa e incluso sus sonrisas. Dijo que buscaba a tu abuelo, pero él ya había muerto."_ (A man came to the house. I remember that everything about him was black, his hair, his eyes, his cloths and even his smiles. He said that he was looking for your grandfather, but he had already died.) Victoria knew her granddad had died very young, that he had been killed. _"Realmente llego a agradarme."_ (I really came to like him.) He said amused. His voice then sobered. _"Más que agradable era más bien… intrigante. Hablaba de muchas cosas, pero ocultaba muchísimas más. Paso un par de semanas en la casa. En esa época, las cosas no estaban bien, para nada bien."_ (More than nice, he was sort of… intriguing. He talked about a lot of things but he hid even more. He spent a couple of weeks in the house. In that time things where not right, not a bit right.) His voice was full of memories and sadness. Victoria was confused and wanted her father to tell her everything but he didn't. _"El hombre que vino, en esas pocas semanas se convirtió en un gran amigo mío. Me enseño a no tener miedo, a ver una nueva imagen del mundo, de un mundo mejor, nuestro mundo donde podemos ser libres y por sobre todo, te salvo la vida."_ (The man that came, in that few weeks became a great friend of mine. He taught me to not be afraid, to see a new image of the world, of a better world, our world where we can be free and above all, he saved your life.) Victoria's eyes were wide with astonishment. She understood why her father liked that man so much. _"Él era ingles y estudio en Hogwarts, por eso te envié allí."_ (He was an English man and studied in Hogwarts, that's why I sent you there.)

_"Papá, ¿Dónde está él ahora?"_ (Papá, where is he now?) Her father turned his face towards the window, letting the sun warm his skin.

_"Está muerto." _(He's dead). Victoria held her father hand softly, before letting go.

_"Lo lamento."_ (I'm sorry.)

_"No te preocupes."_ (Don't worry.) Victoria sighed and sat on the floor, next to the window. _"¿Vas a leer las cartas?"_ (Are you going to read the letters?) Victora mumbled incoherently. _"¿Perdón?"_ (Sorry?) Victoria mumbles again, this time some words like _'no' 'aburrido' 'complicado'_ ('no' 'boring' 'complicated') reached the man's ears. _"Oh, no seas así. Gracía ven._" (Oh, don't be like that. Gracía come here.) A tiny house elf with small and round nose and big blue eyes came into the living room.

_"¿Llama señor?" _(Mister call?) The elf said in a high-pitched voice.

_"Trae las cartas de Victoria y pergamino y tinta para que las conteste."_ (Bring Victoria's letter and parchment and ink for her to answer them.) The elf bowed and quickly retrieved the letters. Victoria straightened a little when the elf handed her the letters. Theo's was set aside for she had already read it. Hermione's letter was thick, Victoria snorted and smiled, the Ravenclaw did take by heart her comment about interesting letters, maybe she'll answer, maybe. The last letter was from Blaise. Victoria pulled out the letter, black bright ink in white parchment, simple letters in Italian. '_Un fiore per i tuoi pensieri piccola'_ (A flower for your thoughts little one.) Victoria glared at the words. He didn't have a flower, did he? Her eyes widen and frantically tripped the envelope. A bright dark blue pressed flower fell into her hand. She looked at it, astonished. A Morning Glory. Then she started laughing.

_"¿Victoria, que pasó?" (_Victoria, what happened?) Her father said, confused and alarmed.

_"Blaise me envió una flor. Una flor por amor a Salazar. Y un mensaje en italiano."_ (Blaise sent me a flower. A flower for Salazar's sake. And a message in Italian.) His father began laughing with glee. Victoria sobered up, not amused at her father. The man calmed down and asked:

_"¿Y eso te molesta?"_ (And that bothers you?)

_"No. No se. No pensé que fuera a hacer algo así, en el tren camino de regreso me dijo: _'A flower for your thoughts_ piccola', pero no tenía una flor."_ (No. I don't know. I didn't thought that he'll do something like that, in the train on our way back he said: 'A flower for your thoughts _piccola_', but he didn't have a flower.) Victoria said and then frowned. _"No te rías."_ (Don't laugh.) Her father laughed again and Victoria huffed annoyed. _"¿Que significa una Don Diego de Día?"_ (What does a Morning Glory means?) (2)

_"¿La flor? ¿Eso te envió?"_ (The flower? He sent you that?)

_"Si."_ (Yes.) Her father brow burrowed in concentration, recalling the meaning.

_"Afecto." _(Affection.) Victoria shook her head and rolled her eyes. _"¿Le vas a contestar?"_ (Would you write back?) Victoria smiled and placed the letters in the floor.

_"Si. Le contestaré a Theo que iré a su casa, a Hermione que nos vemos donde Theo y le diré a Blaise que se aprecia su gesto._"(Yes. I'll answerd Theo that I'll indeed go to his house, to Hermione that I'll see her at Theo's and I'll write to Blaise that I appreciate the gesture.) She then leaned back on the side of his father's chair, leading on the man's legs a little. "_Pero luego."_ (But latter.) Her father laughed and stroked her hair.

Later that night, when Victoria was preparing for bed two fleeting thoughts crossed her mind. She liked her friends a lot and of what had saved her the English man that her father thought so highly of?

She didn't linger in them for much time and went to sleep early, dreaming with a pair of quills and a bottle of ink urging (molesting) her to answer letters. The next morning her father was really amused with that dream and Victoria sent her owl, _Alatriste,_ with her (rather short) answers to make her father stop teasing and laughing.

She pretended to be annoyed but her eyes shone with happiness, a shine that her father's eyes also had. Both of them happy that the other was fine.

Because, you know, dying is scary. But in that moment it didn't matter.

**1. Festival de los Patios Cordobeses: **is a festival and concourse of _Córdoba, Andalucía, España _that generally takes place during the second and third week of May. The participants open their courtyards and gardens for free so they can be visited during the agreed hours. The courtyards participating are indicated with two pot of flowers placed on each side of the door. To promote the local traditions they are two separate categories in the competition, new and old architecture.

The courtyards are often narrow and most of the flowers and plants are placed on pots on the sides and hanging on the wall. There are also potted flowers on the facades of the houses.

** 2. Morning Glory: **The floriography is the art and language of flowers and herbs. It began in the Ottoman Empire and developed considerable during the Victorian Age (time of ruling of Queen Victoria of England which lasted from 1837 to 1901). The language of flowers was as important in those times as being well mannered or dressed. Floriography was used to convey subtle messages between people because not all things could be said out loud. But sometimes these messages could be really cryptic and confusing. Dictionaries of floriography were published but often had different meanings between each other. Also the manner of the presentation (upside, downwards, left or right) could change the signification of the flower or herb completely. Not to mention bouquets and the interaction between more than one type of flower.

Morning Glory in the dictionaries is often related to affection, coquettish and attachment. But in other dictionaries can found also as instability, (tough is rare). In Spanish, _Don Diego de día, _is listed as coquettish and infidelity. But, since the meaning we found the most is affection and coquettish we'll stick to that.


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